CONCERNS about the future of Epsom Hospital remain following meetings held by the organisation reviewing local hospital provision.

CONCERNS about the future of Epsom Hospital remain following a string of meetings held by the organisation reviewing local hospital provision.

NHS South West London's Better Services Better Value (BSBV) team met local councillors and MPs to discuss the process for determining the future shape of healthcare provision in south-west London and Surrey.

The meetings come just a week after the BSBV board suggested that two of the five hospitals in the review - Epsom, St Helier in Carshalton, St George's in Tooting, Kingston and Croydon - would lose their A&E and maternity services, with many believing it will be Epsom and St Helier that lose out.

In a letter sent out to constituents, Epsom's MP Chris Grayling said the developments were "unexpected and unwelcome".

He wrote: "The idea of losing acute services at both Epsom and St Helier seems completely unrealistic.

"It would leave a gap in provision running from St George's to Guildford, and in the case of maternity, where there are 4,500 births across the two hospitals, it would require other hospitals to absorb the equivalent of a large maternity unit in a major hospital.

"I want the future of Epsom to be decided in a Surrey context, and not a London one.

"It is very obvious that our own local doctors should have the main input in what happens. And yet provisional recommendations have been put forward without them even having the chance to have their say."

Mr Grayling has organised a public meeting to discuss the issue on February 7 at Blenheim High School in Epsom from 7pm.

But Michael Bailey, consultant urologist and medical director for the BSBV programme, insisted they were just recommendations and no decisions had been made. He said further work was needed to determine if the recommendations would "work in practice".

'Uncertainty'

Meanwhile, Reigate MP Crispin Blunt also met with BSBV leaders to discuss the review process on behalf of his constituents.

Speaking afterwards he said: "I have already made clear that my aim for this consultation is to forge the best combination of primary and secondary care for my constituents, especially those living in and around Banstead who, at present, suffer a particular lack of suitable primary care provision, and local treatment facilities.

"With regard to existing provision, I believe that no change is not an option, particularly if both increased public expectation, and cost demands, are to be met.

"I look forward to hearing back about the preferred options, the next iteration of which should be published in February."

Councillors from Epsom and Ewell Borough Council and Reigate and Banstead Borough Council, and the Surrey Downs Clinical Commissioning Group, also met representatives from NHS South West London to discuss the project.

The review team emphasised that no decisions would be made until after a three-month consultation with residents due later this year, and assured councillors that Epsom Hospital would not close, with all five hospitals retaining around 80% of their services, including either an A&E department or urgent care centre.

Cllr George Crawford, chairman of Epsom and Ewell's health liaison committee, said "some very positive messages" came out of the meeting but he also raised concerns about "significant areas of uncertainty".

He added: "We know times have changed and the Epsom Hospital of 20 years’ time will be different from today, just as today it is different from 20 years ago.

"We wait to see the full recommendations from the review and will continue to lobby for what is best for the residents of Epsom and Ewell.

"To this end we will continue to seek the views of residents on this very important issue as this input will determine how the council formally responds to the consultation."

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She has been editorial director of the online and print titles in Surrey and north-east Hampshire since 2007. Marnie previously worked at the BBC as a producer for 5 Live, having moved to national radio from BBC Sussex and Surrey.